Fraser Forster, Dusan Tadic, Ryan Bertrand and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are all likely to be assessed prior to the Saints game against Liverpool.
Southampton are sweating on the fitness of as many as four of their main first team players following the international break for Saturday’s game against Liverpool, according to a report in the Daily Echo.
Fraser Forster, Dusan Tadic, Ryan Bertrand and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are also said to be fitness doubts which will give manager Claude Puel cause for concern.
Serbia’s Dusan Tadic sustains a facial injury
The Daily Echo reports that Forster was withdrawn from the England squad last week because of a ‘minor’ problem while Tadic sustained a facial injury following a challenge from Neil Taylor in Serbia’s draw with Wales – but Tadic is said to be contemplating wearing a mask for the weekend’s game when he appeared to have suffered a broken nose, according to the Guardian.
Bertrand has been struggling with one or two problems for much of the season but featured in the Saints’ last two league games against Hull City and Chelsea but didn’t take part in England training prior to their game with Spain at Wembley – which he also missed. England interim boss Gareth Southgate is said to have described it as a ‘minor’ issue.
Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand in action with Hull City’s Markus Henriksen
Hojbjerg pulled out of Denmark duty with a ‘slight’ injury which seems to vague on detail like his teammates. It’s far from ideal for Puel as he prepares to host the Premier League leaders on Saturday – in many ways it’s a club manager’s worst nightmare when it comes to the international break.
But given that the injuries seem minor there is a chance that all four players could be available for the weekend. Puel has shown that he is not afraid to rotate his squad this season, so he will probably feel he has sufficient resources at his disposal to cope if all four players have to miss out, though the Saints have had problems in other areas of late with Cedric Soares, Shane Long and Matt Targett all among those who have been sidelined.
Southampton’s Fraser Forster
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